15 music documentaries on Netflix you shouldn’t miss this holiday season

The holidays are coming, and if the weather outside is not to your liking, maybe binging on some excellent music documentaries could save the day (or a few days, for that matter. Music documentaries, which have become quite a hot property in recent times just might be the right thing to watch, and Netflix has quite a varied selection of those.

As is the case with any genre, their quality and content varies, from great concerts to well researched dive into the works of a specific artist, music event or a genre.

If you are a music fan, the following 15 documentaries just might give you that needed holiday boost.

Can't-miss music documentaries on Netflix you should watch this holiday season

HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé (2019)

Focusing on Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella performance as one of her key live performances up to that moment, the film focuses on everything that was involved for her as an artist to reach such a peak, and the quality of the insights might also lie in the fact that Beyoncé also produced and directed this documentary herself.

Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)

Taking a look at the musical legend and an intriguing character that is Rolling Stone’s Keith Richards was an intriguing prospect that could have gone awry at any point, but the film’s director, Morgan Neville, was able to escape all the possible traps and come up with a film that is so easy to watch.

Miss Americana (2020)

The devoted fans of Taylor Swift have surely seen this one already, but for all other viewers who want to delve deeper into the Swift phenomenon, this documentary presents details of her life and career over the course of many years. It also provides insights into her personal life, her ambitions, and behind-the-scenes, backstage, and onstage footage from her concert.

Quincy (2018)

Late great Quincy Jones left behind him a legacy of some incredible albums, both as an artist and as a producer. If you missed his albums, you surely haven’t seen his production for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, and countless others. Covering his complete output, the film also delves into Jones' personal life, and this film won a Grammy for Best Music Film in 2019.

ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke (2019)

Sam Cooke remains one of the greatest vocalists and songwriters in R&B and pop, decades after his untimely death. This documentary, on the one hand, recounts Cook’s musical journey, but also the background story and mysteries connected to his untimely death.

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)

If you need more than the fact that this recounting of one of the best tours by the Nobel prize winner was directed by another legend, Martin Scorsese, then it just might be the fact that this part fiction part fact film is one of Scorsese’s better films in recent times, as it escapes the usual documentary formulas.

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)

Nina Simone, a brilliant pianist and singer with a unique voice, was also a civil rights activist, and this documentary presents a detailed and quite stirring biography of an iconic artist.

The Other One: The Long, Strange Trip of Bob Weir (2014)

Bob Weir was one of the key masterminds behind The Grateful Dead and this film focuses on his contribution to turning this band into one of the greatest around. The film includes detailed conversations with Weir, as well as interviews with other members and people connected to the band.

Count Me In (2021)

There is an in-joke with all deeply involved with music, which goes - "Who are the musician's best friends?" Answer: "Drummers." This film explores the role of drummers, particularly in rock music, giving most space to drummers themselves.

Trainwreck: Woodstock '99 (2022)

The original Woodstock festival (and the documentary that followed it are the stuff of legends. Yet the 1999 version of the festival seems to have been exactly what the title of this documentary says - a complete trainwreck. The film focuses on all the riots, sexual assaults, fires, looting, vandalism, and deaths that happened at this quite unhappy event.

Remastered: Devil At The Crossroads (2019)

The life and times of bluesman Robert Johnson were unfortunately quite short but resulted in some incredible music that is one of the key influences on quite a number of modern musical genres and was filled with enough mystery and strange tales, making this documentary a must.

John Lennon: Love Is All You Need (2010)

This incredible documentary includes a lot of rare footage, interviews with Lennon himself, as well as his wives Yoko Ono and Cynthia Lennon, as well as his son Julian Lennon. Well researched and quite well constructed.

The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)

“We Are The World” still counts as one of the biggest holiday hits around, gathering an incredible cast of legendary artists, and this documentary goes deep into the story of how its recording came about, including quite a few anecdotes from the one-night recording session that is not to be missed.

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song (2021)

There are a number of Leonard Cohen documentaries out there (most of them also available on Netflix), but this look at Cohen’s opus through one of his songwriting and poetic masterpieces takes the cake.

Springsteen on Broadway (2018)

Whether he goes live with The E Street Band or it is just his solo performance, Bruce Springsteen is one of the greatest live performers around. Back when this film was made, he did over 236 Broadway performances, and this film culls footage from two shows at the Walter Kerr Theater.

These intimate performances include Springsteen recounting details of his life, making this one indispensable for his fans.